Global sports marketing and entertainment group Octagon, today announces that it has taken a substantial equity position in one of Germany’s most famous football clubs, Eintracht Frankfurt, and will form a partnership with the members of the club to run and manage the Bundesliga giant.

Octagon is the first non-German company to have taken an ownership and management position in a Bundesliga football club since legislation was changed last year to allow clubs (previously owned by members) to take commercial equity partners.

Octagon is already a leading player in football sponsorship consulting, TV rights sales and distribution, and has similar partnerships with clubs in Brazil (Santos and Atletico Mineiro) and the United States (three-time champion DC United). However, Eintracht Frankfurt is the first European club that Octagon has partnered in this way.

Announcing the deal, Frank Lowe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Octagon, said ‘Football is the most important sport in the world and the most important sector in the sports marketing industry.’

‘Eintracht Frankfurt is a sleeping giant, a famous football brand with a great history that has not managed to keep up with the changing pace of commercialism in European football. We at Octagon are passionate about sport and firmly believe in the tremendous potential of the club, largely due to its huge and loyal fan base – a crowd of 58,000 at the last home game demonstrates the size of that support.’

Mr Lowe added ‘This is a genuine, strategic partnership between the club and Octagon. Our role is to invest not only money, but also commercial expertise. As one of the world’s leading sports marketing agencies, with a strong presence in Frankfurt through Octagon Birkholz & Jedlicki, we can help build solid foundations for the future success of the club. We will work hard over the coming months and years to re-establish the team among the giants of German football.’

Welcoming their new partners, Eintracht Frankfurt Vice-President, Bernd Ehinger, stated, ‘This is great news for the club and its fans. Octagon’s distinctive marketing perspective will develop the commercial side of the club, so that we can build a successful team. We had been looking for an investor for some time, but in Octagon we have also found a true partner who understands football and how much this club means to the fans.’

For Further Information Please Contact:

Louise Higgins
Octagon Worldwide (London)
+ 44 20 7881 8888

Bernd Ehinger
Eintracht Frankfurt
+ 49 69 4209 7054